homenews | College of Science

Humans of the U: Gail Zasowski

June 10, 2025

Gail Zasowski. Photo credit: Matt Crawley

I really fell in love with it, and I realized that becoming an astronomer was a real possibility for me.

What really draws me to it is that it’s incomprehensible. I enjoy working with things that are too far away and too big for our brains to actually picture. Building models and testing our predictions — describing things our minds can’t grasp in a mathematical way — is empowering. The universe is understandable, even if we don’t fully understand it.

We’re scientists, but we’re people, and all science is done by individuals who work together and help each other. Having people around you is what keeps you grounded. It reminds you that we’re also human beings — we’re not terrifying.

I’ve met a lot of students at the early stages of their careers, and later on, when they were graduating, I would ask them how things had gone. One of the common themes among those who felt they were successful was that they connected with other students early on — people who were invaluable in helping them through classes and connecting them with mentors.

I had the opportunity to apply for a grant with a large educational component, and I met with several students and faculty to design a mentoring program. We really wanted to remove barriers in our community and give everyone the opportunity to learn from their fellow students.

One of the things I try to emphasize in all the classes I teach is that anyone can do science. Everyone can learn how to approach a problem analytically, think critically about it, break it down, and solve it. I focus a lot in my classes on problem solving, and I consider it a win when students walk away feeling like they can figure out problems in their day-to-day life.

You don’t have to be in science to think critically and problem-solve. That’s applicable in every career. Science isn’t just a set of content — it’s a set of skills that everyone can learn and use to better their own lives. Making sure everyone has access to those skills and training without being alienated is important.”

— Gail Zasowski is Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy and hails from East Tennessee. This story was developed by Ethan Hood and originally appeared in @ The U.

Trailblazing with Earth & Environmental Science

June 5, 2025

The program fuses principles from atmospheric science, geology, and ecology to address key questions about the environment — including freshwater availability, the effects of extreme weather, and ecosystem resilience, among other topics. Students in the program join a faculty research stream — studying in a campus lab or out in the field — to acquire valuable experience.

Utah is known worldwide for its geological attributes and abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. From the Wasatch Mountains to Zion National Park, the state serves as a natural classroom for EES students to study a variety of research topics, including snowfall dynamics, watershed health, aerosol chemistry and much more.

EES students study together in small cohorts, supported by faculty mentors, to develop practical skills for fruitful careers like environmental consulting, resource management, policy, among others. Students can also supplement their studies with a Sustainability Certificate.

Among the first graduating EES students are Ryker Ray and Tucker Hastings.

Ryker Ray

Ryker Ray

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience these past two years in the EES major,” says Ray, reflecting on his experience. “A brand-new major can be a little rough around the edges at times, but overall my classes were interesting and challenging."

One of the biggest draws for Ray to study EES was its interdisciplinary focus, reflected in the variety of his research work in the Science Research Initiative. He initially investigated the links between air quality and wildfires in atmospheric scientist Gannet Hallar’s Aerosol Research Lab. Later, he transitioned to biologist Austin Green’s Wildlife-Human Interaction Lab to engage in fieldwork and ecological data analysis. It was there that Ray developed a particular interest in studying carnivores.

"I am evaluating how certain extreme climate variables, which mirror future climate change conditions, are affecting the spatial and temporal behavior of small to large carnivores," says Ray. He focused on developing a framework for wildlife and land management, with the hope of influencing policy.

"We still lack an understanding of the degree to which our urban development affects the behaviors and populations of carnivores across the world," he adds.

Through his research, Ray benefited from a strong mentorship bond with Green. "I have never had such a compassionate and helpful mentor. Austin has always made time for me and the other students in the lab, even when working across two different organizations and caring for a new baby," says Ray.

Beyond the classroom, Ray, who hails from Park City, Utah, co-founded and served as Vice President of the Utah Students for Conservation Club, inspired by his studies and a reforestation internship in Costa Rica. Additionally, he contributed writing and photography to the environment-focused Wasatch Magazine.

Looking ahead, Ray hopes to work in fire ecology. "I want to begin repairing and building a bridge to work with the many Native American tribes and nations who have been using fire to maintain the health of the Western U.S." He hopes to pursue this ambition by founding his own company dedicated to public education and environmental awareness on the issue.

Tucker Hastings

Tucker Hastings

Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, William "Tucker" Hastings graduated with a double major in EES and Spanish, along with a minor in atmospheric sciences. As a member of the inaugural EES cohort, he valued the program’s interdisciplinary collaboration. "I enjoyed being able to connect with professors and students in the three different disciplines,” says Hastings. “The major’s emphasis on holistic perspectives and practical experience were also highlights." His EES studies were a particular highlight of his undergraduate career, and he eagerly engaged in research, labs and cross-disciplinary connections.

Hastings’ research focused on Utah's landscapes, stemming from his childhood adventures exploring the state’s wild places. His interest was sparked by a pivotal Science Research Initiative field trip to Costa Rica, where he met with biologists and conservationists. This led to his work in the Şekercioğlu Lab, assisting with trail camera image identification and conducting biodiversity surveys in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

For this project, he collaborated with the Aparecido Lab in the School of Biological Sciences to study the impact of invasive species. He compared areas invaded by Russian olive trees to non-invaded sites to build a model of biogeographic trends. Hastings highlighted a significant knowledge gap: "Despite its long history in Utah, Russian olive has gone largely unstudied in the United States. The work of my lab [was] some of the first to investigate its impacts."

Following graduation, Hastings plans to continue his studies in ecology by pursuing a Ph.D., ideally in desert ecology. His core aspiration is "to use science to promote conservation, as well as community engagement in science and ecology."

by Ethan Hood

Students interested in the Earth & Environmental Science major at the University of Utah can learn more here.

New data suggest need for revision of earthquake hazard models

June 4, 2025

Fan-Chi Lin

Five years ago, the valley trembled during the magnitude 5.7 Magna Earthquake, causing millions in damage to dozens of masonry structures in Salt Lake City and the town of Magna, a few miles to the west. Utah’s urban centers, such as Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo, lying along the Wasatch Front, remain at risk of future seismic events. The last major earthquake exceeding magnitude 7 to hit the Wasatch Front occurred between 1,200 and 1,300 years ago. With an average recurrence interval of 900 to 1,300 years, Salt Lake City’s geologic clock could be close to striking midnight once again.

In the new study, U researchers utilized seismic data to present a refined three-dimensional seismic velocity model—an essential tool for mapping the geologic structure of the Wasatch Front and identifying seismic hazard sites.

“For this particular study, we are trying to understand the sedimentary structure within the Salt Lake area and how that might differ from previous results,” said study leader Fan-Chi Lin, an associate professor of geology and geophysics. “One of the biggest questions we had was why our observations didn’t agree with previous studies.”

The Wasatch Front community velocity model is currently the leading reference for assessing future seismic activity. However, it has been largely informed by borehole drilling and gravity data—useful indicators, but ones that come with limitations such as private land restrictions, inconsistent documentation and limited sampling scope.

To overcome these constraints, an extensive network of seismic data probes and geophone arrays was deployed across the Salt Lake Valley—even in the backyards of private residences. Many were deployed in the month following the Magna quake in the spring of 2020 to take advantage of a steady parade of aftershocks.

“This community is incredibly supportive and happy to help. I want to emphasize that none of this would have been possible without community support, the Utah Geological Survey and the many students in our department who helped deploy hundreds of stations,” Lin said.

For this study, the research team analyzed seismic waves from only distant earthquakes, using interferometry analysis—comparing measurements of the same signal from two different stations—and conversion phase analysis—comparing the incident P-wave and the S-wave converted at the base of the sediment. This analysis gleaned insights into the subsurface structure of the Salt Lake Valley, which was once the bed of ancient Lake Bonneville that covered northern Utah as recently as 14,000 years ago.

The goal wasn’t to predict strong earthquakes but to predict the severity of ground motion they could produce. The team was also pursuing academic questions.

“We are interested to understand how the tectonic forces or tectonic movements form the basin itself,” Lin said. “Why there’s a basin here? What controls the depth of the basin?”

by Ethan Hood
Read the entire article on @ The U.

Humans of the U: Sydney Brooksby

June 3, 2025

As I entered college, I was in renal failure and had two choices: Return home and enjoy the rest of my declining life, or make one last effort to achieve my childhood dream. I chose the latter. I received an auto renal kidney transplant, picked up my textbook and asked myself this question, ‘How far are you willing to go?’ I’m willing to go farther than anyone has before me.

My disease drove me to pursue a degree in biology. It’s been incredible to be in a position, as a student, where I can exercise my own ambition by drafting a gene-editing research proposal to mitigate the effects of my own disease, Turner Syndrome (TS). I was born with Mosaic TS, a genetic mutation that causes one of a female’s X chromosomes to be incomplete or completely missing.

Throughout my undergraduate experience, eliminating the uncertainty of my condition was aided through studying genomics. I was able to take authority over my own health care. It made every surgery, procedure and supplemental diagnosis easier to comprehend and overcome.

All the while I continued competing in archery as a member of the U.S.A. RED Team with a goal of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

My favorite biology course has been Gene Expression (BIOL 5120), taught by Prof. Michael Werner of the School of Biological Sciences. In this class, I learned how to translate my excitement for genomics and genetic engineering into a research proposal. With chromosomal mutations like Turner Syndrome, recovering lost genetic information is at the core of any real solution. My proposal outlined how gene-editing technologies—such as CRISPR-Cas9, homology-directed repair (HDR) and mRNA delivery—could be used to ‘copy and paste’ missing genetic content onto a fragmented X chromosome. I focussed on the SHOXa gene with the goal of recovering genetic function in female hormone secretion and physical growth of patients with Turner Syndrome. Understanding the science, specifically gene-editing technologies, offers real hope for addressing TS and other genetic diseases.

I’ve been very blessed with my medical condition, and also with the knowledge I’ve gained during my undergraduate studies that allows me to theorize actionable solutions. I hope to one day attend medical school and specialize in hepatobiliary (kidney/liver) transplant surgery with a supplemental focus in chromosomal abnormalities!

What I would say to my freshman self and undergraduates just beginning their journey at the U, ‘People only get brave when they have nothing to lose. Be brave anyway.’”

by Sydney Brooksby

Sydney is majoring in biology with an emphasis in genomics/genetics, and minoring in medical humanities. U.S.A. RED Team member (archery) and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics hopeful.

This story was developed and edited by Tanya Vickers, School of Biological Sciences
and originally appeared in @The U.

Migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt

May 27, 2025

Kyle Kittelberger holding a rare Connecticut warbler. This was only the third time this species was caught in Utah and first ever at Bonderman.

Birds regularly shed and regrow their body and wing feathers in a process, called molting, that is critical for flight, migration, insulation, breeding and survival.

A new study by University of Utah biologists examined molt phenology, or the timing of feather replacement, in response to climate change and made some startling discoveries.

Using 13 years of bird-banding data collected at the university’s field station in southeastern Utah, the research team led by graduate student Kyle Kittelberger documented how molt has shifted for birds, particularly in relation to climate factors such as El Niño. Their findings suggest that molt may be becoming more flexible and climate-sensitive in the fall, with implications for avian survival, migration and reproduction.

“In the fall, we found that birds are shifting both their body and their flight feather molt earlier over time across the 13 years at a rate of about one day earlier per year,” said Kittelberger, who is wrapping up his doctorate in biology professor Çağan Şekercioğlu’s lab. The shift is likely a response to climate-driven changes in the birds’ migration and breeding.

“Molt is a really fundamental component of a bird’s lifecycle. It’s one of the main elements that a bird does, one of the main activities in addition to breeding and migrating,” Kittelberger said. “It allows for the replacement of old, worn and damaged feathers. If you have poor feather quality that could impact, for example, your migration. You might not be able to fly as well. It could also in the spring impact your ability to attract a mate.”

Yet changes in molt phenology have not previously been closely studied in North America. Kittelberger’s study, to be published in next month’s edition of The American Naturalist and available now online, is based on data recorded from 22,072 birds, representing 134 species, captured from 2011 to 2024 at the U’s Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa outside Moab.

Şekercioğlu’s Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology Lab oversees a seasonal mist net program that captures mostly migratory songbirds in the spring (early April to early June) and fall (August through early November) as the birds travel between their wintering grounds in the south and summer breeding areas to the north. The station’s 16 nets are up for six hours a day most days, depending on weather, starting 30 minutes before sunrise.

During capture seasons, the nets are checked every 30 minutes. Species, sex, age, molt stage, feather and body conditions and other data are collected from each bird pulled from the nets before it’s released to continue its biannual journey. Bonderman posts weekly and annual banding reports.

“We didn’t see any shift at the community level for spring body molt,” Kittelberger said. “Some of the reasons for that might be birds tend to migrate much faster in the spring because it’s more of a direct shot getting back to their breeding grounds so that they can start preparing for the breeding season, whereas in the fall, it’s a slower and more meandering process.”

Read the full article by Brian Maffly in @ The U.

Not just a major. It’s a mission

May 22, 2025

Michael Gough

Eliza Watson

“We may be a small department, but that’s part of what makes it so special. We know each other. We support each other. And because of that, we thrive — both as students and as future professionals.”

The opinion piece penned by Trey Robison, Michael Gough, Eliza Watson and Travis Bach was in response to a recent U and Utah System of Higher Education discussion about cutting smaller academic programs. “Unfortunately,” wrote the students, “our department — mining engineering — was mentioned by name as an example of a discipline that could be subject to review under proposed enrollment thresholds.”

The concerned students took the news as an opportunity “to tell our story and to highlight what it really means to be a mining engineering student,” intoning that more than a major, the degree program was a “mission.”

Mining engineering majors at the U are immediately thrust into inter-disciplinary study that includes geology, engineering design, environmental stewardship, safety systems and more. Unlike perhaps other majors in the College of Science/College of Mining and Earth Sciences, mining majors experience hands-on training at mine locations that they are likely to land full-time positions at before graduation.

From the Wasatch Front to Australia

Some of these sites include aggregate pits like Kennecott Utah Copper along the Wasatch Front, coalfields in central Utah, goldfields in Nevada, trona mines in western Wyoming and “even remote mining camps in Australia.”

Trey Robison

Travis Bach

Mining majors at the U, which have quadrupled in annual enrollment since 2022, are the only thing you might consider “small.” Everything about mining is out-sized — not just the gigantic, complex operations in open-air pits and underground, but in the vaulting demand for materials to build a sustainable and secure future in the U.S. and beyond.

The students reminded us that mining is also an essential aspect of a green economy: without lithium and other critical and rare earth minerals, our lives and lifestyle would come to a screeching halt. To keep up with green economy demands, Denee Hayes BSME’02 has explained elsewhere that the world “will need to mine the same amount of copper between now and 2030/40 as we have in all of humanity.” And that is an example of just one metal. More than half of the periodic table goes into producing and running a cell phone. Furthermore, she reminds us, “anything in the periodic table needs to be mined.”

Post-graduation

Salaries for a newly graduated mining engineer at the U are impressive as well. According to a 2020 ranking from GradReports, the Mining Engineering program earned an impressive salary score of 93 based on a median alumni salary of $78,970 in the year after graduating. This salary score compares the median alumni salary for Mining Engineering alumni at the U to the median alumni salary for the same program at other schools. The same ranking showed that 95% of mining engineering students were employed after graduation.

On more of a personal note, the students who authored the Tribune piece were keen to paint a picture of how being at the U in a small cohort of undergraduates quickens their group cohesion, a cohesion that immediately has global implications. “Recently, we launched a student mine rescue team — a multidisciplinary effort that brings students from across campus together to learn about emergency response in industrial settings.”

“Think of where the materials came from to construct the device on which you may be reading this,” concluded the mission-driven students. “[T]he foundation of the building in which you sit, the fertilizer that was used to grow the food you eat, your favored mode of transportation … the list goes on and on.”

By David Pace

You can read the Salt Lake Tribune opinion piece (paywalled) here.

Computational Math Meets National Momentum

May 22, 2025

Yekaterina Epshteyn

Hosted on campus the same week NSF celebrated its legacy of research leadership, the CompMath meeting brought together nearly 250 researchers from across the country. Through advances in modeling, algorithms, and high-performance computing, the gathering highlighted how universities like the U remain essential to building the future of science — one breakthrough at a time.

Solving Complex Problems at Scale

Organized by the U’s Yekaterina Epshteyn, James Adler (Tufts University), Alexander Alekseenko (CSUN) and Lars Ruthotto (Emory University), the meeting featured diverse presentations — everything from the design of robust algorithms for various solutions of mathematical models to computational mathematics advances of data science and artificial intelligence (AI).

Presenters discussed, among many other topics like quantum computing, the development of digital twins, virtual, dynamic models of physical systems that are constantly updated with real-time data. These models are used for prediction, monitoring and control of the physical system, offering significant advantages in various applications working toward the solutions of pressing scientific, engineering and societal problems.

Why Computational Mathematics Matters

Computational mathematics is foundational to nearly every field of modern research. By combining mathematical insight with algorithms and high-performance computing, it transforms raw theory into action—solving problems that are too massive, too complex, or too fast-moving for humans to tackle alone.

Some of those algorithms are being developed to improve medical device design like vascular stents, drug delivery devices, implanted devices and medical diagnostic equipment for cancer detection.

Other areas of inquiry include optimizing tracking devices of the contaminants in hydrological systems and creating data-driven methods and tools to detect faults in structures such as bridges and nuclear plants.

“As one of the organizers of the meeting,” says Epshteyn, “I was really impressed by how diverse the topics were, and how detailed the presenters were, from the U and across the nation, in explaining their research.”

National Relevance, Shared Purpose

The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, gatherings like this reflect more than academic collaboration — they demonstrate the kind of foundational work needed to address complex challenges at scale. As highlighted in the ASPI Two-Decade Critical Technology Tracker, accelerating progress in areas like AI, modeling, and quantum computing is essential to sustaining long-term scientific, technological, and societal advancement.

The rich tapestry of research in the computational mathematics space, on display at the U conference, demonstrated the real potential for making our world more efficient, safer, kinder and more livable all while growing the economy. “Making the connection between high-level research with real-life, day-to-day outcomes can elude all of us at times,” Epshteyn acknowledges. Not so at the NSF’s CompMath meeting. During the conference, it became self-evident that we are on the cusp of innovations in many closely connected areas, such as engineering and the deployment of next generation materials to design, for example, robust techniques for cryo-electron microscopy. “It’s exciting to see how research in applied and computational mathematics leads to all of these advancements,” says Epshteyn.

Mentoring Future Workforce

The conference also fielded several engaging panel discussions which provided beneficial mentoring to early-career participants — the students, post-doctoral researchers and junior researchers who make up the newest crop of skilled scientists and engineers.

In all, the NSF CompMath Meeting 2025 brilliantly showcased the state-of-the art developments in research and education in the computational mathematics field. It created a supportive and engaging atmosphere for new interactions and collaborations among participants while fostering a greater sense of community for computational mathematicians.

“It was not only a wonderful and productive event for those who attended,” concludes Epshteyn of the event. “It was a gratifying accomplishment for all the work supported by the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences Computational Mathematics program, for the university and for the future of Utah.”

by David Pace

To read more about the conference and view additional photos click here.

Urgency and hope at 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit

May 22, 2025

Conor Walsh, assistant professor at the Columbia Business School, delivering his keynote address.

Anderegg’s message resonated with his audience of scientists, policymakers, business leaders and others gathered at the third annual Wilkes Climate Summit, hosted by the Wilkes Center on May 15 at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House on the U’s campus.

This year’s theme—innovation, science and solutions—was manifest in the day’s keynote addresses, panel breakout sessions, and presentations from the seven finalists vying for the $250K Wilkes Climate Launch Prize.

“When [the Wilkes Center] was set up a number of years ago, the dream was to bring immediate innovation to the problem of climate,” said U President Taylor Randall, speaking of Clay and Marie Wilkes whose $20 million donation launched the Wilkes Center in 2022. “[They] fundamentally believed in science and science’s ability to create scalable change and create scalable solutions…When I see individuals [here] dealing with this problem, I leave with nothing but hope and optimism.”

The Wilkes Center’s mission is to accelerate climate solutions through research, education and innovation, goals especially important during these tumultuous times.

“Many of the cuts to science and research that those of us around the country are worried about will hinder America’s prosperity, economic growth, competitiveness and global leadership,” Anderegg said in his opening remarks. “We need science and innovation more than ever.”

Anderegg outlined the four core questions guiding everything the center does, which capture the spirit of discussions happening throughout the summit:

How can we accelerate solutions to yield a global, downward trend in greenhouse gas emissions?
How can we get the best science into the hands of decision- and policymakers?
How can we train the next generation of leaders?
How can we foster innovation to develop, deploy and scale these climate solutions?

“The scientific understanding is really crystal clear; the 2020s are a pivotal decade for climate action,” Anderegg said. “We have a rapidly closing window to avoid the impacts of dangerous climate change and chart a sustainable and prosperous future for everyone here in Utah, around the U.S. and around the world.”

Clean energy transition and the global rise of solar power

The summit kicked off with a morning keynote by Conor Walsh, assistant professor at the Columbia Business School studying the economics of the energy transition. You can read the four highlights from his talks, reports on the seven Wilkes Prize finalist presentations as well as other expansive coverage in the remainder of this article by Lisa Potter in @ The U.

Unravelling Nature’s Marine Cloud Brightening

May 22, 2025

Gerald "Jay" Mace

Recent research conducted by Dr Gerald Mace from the University of Utah and colleagues reveals how air masses passing over the Antarctic continent naturally boost cloud brightness through a complex chain of chemical and physical processes. This natural phenomenon may hold important clues for improving climate models and predicting future climate change.

Nature’s Cloud Factory

The Southern Ocean is one of the most remote and pristine regions on Earth, making it an ideal natural laboratory for studying how clouds formed before human industrial activity began altering Earth’s atmosphere. This vast expanse of water encircling Antarctica experiences some of the planet’s strongest winds and stormiest conditions, yet it’s the region’s clouds that have captured scientists’ attention.

These clouds play a crucial role in Earth’s climate by reflecting sunlight back to space, but climate models have struggled to accurately simulate their properties. Understanding the mismatch between models and observations has become increasingly urgent as scientists work to improve predictions of future climate change.

Dr Gerald Mace and an international team of researchers have been investigating an intriguing pattern: clouds near Antarctica’s coast tend to be brighter and more reflective than those further north over the open ocean. This brightness comes from having more numerous but smaller water droplets packed into the clouds – a property that makes them more effective at reflecting sunlight.

Following the Air’s Journey

To understand what creates these especially bright clouds, Dr Mace and his colleagues tracked air masses as they moved across the Antarctic continent and over the Southern Ocean. They combined multiple types of observations, including data from satellites, research ships, and atmospheric measurements, to build a comprehensive picture of how the clouds evolve.

The team’s analysis revealed that air masses which had recently spent time over the Antarctic ice sheets produced clouds with particularly high numbers of droplets. This effect was especially pronounced when the air had travelled over Antarctica’s high-altitude ice domes, where temperatures are extremely cold and the sun’s rays are intense during the summer months.

These conditions, the researchers surmised, create an ideal environment for forming new particles that can later serve as seeds for cloud droplets. When this particle-rich air descends from the Antarctic plateau and moves out over the ocean, it produces clouds with markedly different properties from those formed in air masses that haven’t passed over the continent.

The Chemistry Behind the Clouds

The process begins in the biologically productive waters near Antarctica’s coast, where tiny marine organisms flourish during the summer months. These organisms release a chemical called dimethyl sulphide (DMS) into the air – a process that has been occurring in Earth’s oceans for millions of years. When this DMS-rich air rises and passes over Antarctica’s ice sheets, it undergoes a remarkable transformation.

Research at Australia’s CSIRO research organisation has examined the complex chemistry involved in this process. This work shows that over the ice sheets, where there are very few existing particles in the air and intense sunlight during summer, chemical reactions convert the DMS into sulfuric acid vapour. This vapour can then form completely new particles through a process called nucleation, which eventually become the seeds for cloud droplets.

This natural particle formation process proves particularly efficient because the air over Antarctica’s ice sheets is exceptionally clean – any existing particles have usually been removed by precipitation before the air reaches the continent. The newly formed particles, therefore, have little competition as they grow large enough to serve as cloud condensation nuclei, the essential seeds around which cloud droplets form.

Read the entire story in Scientia here.

Utah’s Energy Future

May 21, 2025

The panel represented a diverse cross-section of Utah's energy landscape, featuring leaders from a national laboratory, academic research, non-profit advocacy and private industry. What emerged was a picture of a state uniquely positioned to lead in the clean energy transition, with abundant natural resources and a collaborative approach to energy development.

What also became evident during the discussion, moderated by Wilkes Center Director William Anderegg, is that the U continues to be a key player in moving publicly funded research directly and often quickly to market, scaling new technologies for the benefit of all Utahns. “One Utah” and “The University for Utah” are not just aspirational mantras but actual products and services currently materializing in communities across the state. Large-scale energy production and grid expansion and resilience are no exception.

Utah's ‘Energy Royal Flush’

Teresa Foxley

"Utah was dealt the energy royal flush," said Teresa Foxley, Chief of Staff for rPlus Energies, referencing an op-ed her company published recently about Utah's diverse energy resources. Beyond traditional fossil fuels, Utah boasts exceptional renewable resources including solar, wind and geothermal, positioning the state for leadership in the energy transition.

Foxley's company, a Salt Lake City-based renewable energy developer, exemplifies this potential. rPlus Energies is currently constructing the Green River Energy Center in Emery County, a massive 400-megawatt solar project paired with 400 megawatts of battery storage. When completed in 2026, it will be "the second largest project of its type in the country," she said and represents a $1.1 billion investment in rural Utah.

The company is also developing pump storage hydro projects, a technology that pairs well with both renewable and nuclear energy by storing energy when abundant and releasing it during peak demand periods.

World-Leading Geothermal Research

Joe Moore

Joe Moore, a research professor at the U, highlighted the state's leadership in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). He directs the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), a Department of Energy-funded project in Milford, Utah.

"FORGE is the only facility of its kind in the world, and so people around the world are certainly looking at us," Moore stated. "We are leading the world in enhanced geothermal development already."

Unlike traditional geothermal systems that rely on naturally occurring hot springs, EGS creates geothermal reservoirs by fracturing hot rock deep underground. The FORGE project has made significant advances in reducing drilling costs and developing new stimulation techniques that have attracted interest from major energy companies.

Moore emphasized geothermal's enormous potential: "Tapping even 2% of the energy between two and six miles would give us more than 2000 times the yearly US energy needs. Keep in mind, this is clean. This is benign, very low environmental impact, very low induced seismic risks."

Nuclear's Role in a Clean Energy Future

Laura Nelson

Laura Nelson, Idaho National Laboratory's (INL) regional engagement lead in Utah, discussed how nuclear energy can contribute to a reliable, clean energy future. Often considered "the nation's nuclear energy lab," INL, located in Idaho Falls, has been at the forefront of nuclear energy research for 75 years.

"We have a vision to change the world's energy future," Nelson said, describing INL's mission to create "a resilient and sustainable energy future for everyone... that's affordable, reliable, resilient and accessible."

Nelson highlighted the growing interest in advanced nuclear reactors in Utah and throughout the West. Unlike the large nuclear plants built in the 1970s, she explained, these newer designs include small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors that offer flexibility for various applications, from providing consistent power for AI data centers to supporting military operations in remote locations.

"We need power that's available when other resources may not be available, that we can call on 24/7, that can be there to meet our energy needs when maybe other resources aren't available, or if we have failures on the system," Nelson explained, emphasizing the importance of "firm power" in an increasingly renewable-heavy grid.

Clean Energy Economics and Climate Action

Logan Mitchell

Logan Mitchell, a climate scientist and energy analyst with Utah Clean Energy, brought the climate perspective to the discussion. As a nonprofit organization that has worked for 25 years to accelerate climate solutions in Utah, Utah Clean Energy focuses on decarbonizing buildings, transportation and the electricity sector.

Mitchell highlighted how economics is now driving the clean energy transition: "Clean energy is the most cost-effective form of energy production. It's just more efficient . . . right now. This is the economics, and the efficiency of it is really overtaking other motivations."

He also emphasized how renewable energy is bringing economic benefits to rural communities through tax revenue: "This pays for the local community center, the pharmacies and the pharmacists and the hospitals in those communities and is giving a lifeline to those communities."

Collaboration as Utah's Strength

A common theme throughout the discussion in front of an appreciative late-afternoon crowd was Utah's collaborative approach to energy development. The panelists agreed that Utah's pragmatism and willingness to work across different energy resources has positioned the state as a leader in energy innovation.

As Mitchell noted, "We all need to get there together. We can't leave behind the communities that powered us in the past. We all need to get there together."

When asked about Utah's electricity mix in 2035, the panelists offered varied predictions but generally agreed that the state would see more renewable energy, storage solutions and potentially nuclear power in its future. Mitchell suggested the grid could ultimately reach about 70% wind and solar with 30% “dispatchable” resources like geothermal, nuclear and hydropower

For Utah to overcome barriers to scaling these technologies, the panelists identified several challenges: misconceptions about renewable energy reliability, regulatory hurdles and permitting timelines, technological limitations and costs. Even so, they remained optimistic about Utah's potential to lead in clean energy development through continued innovation and collaboration.

Higher Education’s Impact Happening Now

As Utah’s flagship RI university, the U is a critical player in the future of energy production in the Beehive State. Beyond hosting the 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit which annually convenes leading policymakers, and nationally-recognized scientists, foundations, and innovators to discuss the most promising and cutting-edge solutions for climate change, the U demonstrates repeatedly how academics and research translate directly and often quickly to public benefits.

As Nelson summarized: "Utah is a special place, and I appreciate that we often come together collaboratively when we disagree upon solutions, and our energy system is a critical part of that, because it's so important to our quality of life, to our economies."

By David Pace
Read more about the proceedings of the 2025 Wilkes Summit here.

Humans of the U: Gail Zasowski

I was raised in a fairly rural area where being a scientist wasn’t really seen as a career option, but when I started college, I took Astronomy 101 for fun.

Trailblazing with Earth & Environmental Science

One of the newest majors available for undergraduate students at the University of Utah is Earth & Environmental Science (EES).

Ryker Ray

Tucker Hastings

earthquake hazard models

Humans of the U: Sydney Brooksby

People only get brave when they have nothing to lose. Be brave anyway.

migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt

As climate warms, migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt advances by a day every year. Data from 22,000 songbirds captured at Bonderman Field Station reveal changes in how they replace their feathers.

not just A Major. It's A Mission.

“When people ask us what it’s like to be a mining engineering student at the University of Utah, we tell them that it’s like being part of a family,” wrote four U undergraduate mining engineering majors in the Salt Lake Tribune in May.

From the Wasatch Front to Australia

Post-graduation

Computational Math Meets National Momentum

As the National Science Foundation marked its 75th anniversary, a national meeting on computational mathematics held at the University of Utah offered a glimpse into the next 75 years of discovery.

Solving Complex Problems at Scale

Why Computational Mathematics Matters

National Relevance, Shared Purpose

Mentoring Future Workforce

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Urgency and hope at 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit

Clean energy transition and the global rise of solar power

Unravelling Nature’s Marine Cloud Brightening

In the pristine waters of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, scientists have discovered fascinating patterns in cloud formation that could have major implications for understanding Earth’s climate.

Nature’s Cloud Factory

Following the Air’s Journey

The Chemistry Behind the Clouds

Utah's Energy Future

At a recent panel discussion at the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy’s annual Summit at the University of Utah, energy experts gathered to discuss the future of alternative energy in Utah.

Utah's ‘Energy Royal Flush’

World-Leading Geothermal Research

Nuclear's Role in a Clean Energy Future

Clean Energy Economics and Climate Action

Collaboration as Utah's Strength

Higher Education’s Impact Happening Now